Results 1,541-1,560 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I worked on this issue during my previous role as Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. I met with delivery riders and some of their representatives, trade union groups and others, at my request. I also met with the main company involved. Under the auspices of the Labour Employer Economic Forum, LEEF, we established a dedicated working group...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am somebody who believes you do not make judgments about things or people until you know the facts. It is a basic principle of justice that people are innocent and should be afforded the principle that they are innocent before they are found guilty. It is on that basis that I say I have confidence in the board and that I have confidence in the remaining members of the executive....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I have not seen the statement as yet. I understand it will be released at approximately 3 p.m. today. I do not know what its contents are. As regards the terms of reference, the Minister, Deputy Martin, has draft terms of reference, focusing on both the governance and the culture of the RTÉ organisation. We hope to sign off on those terms of reference later in the week - that would...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We need full transparency on all of these matters as soon as is possible because we cannot have accountability until we have transparency and truth. There will be a further statement issued by the board at 3 p.m. today and board members and executive members will come before committees of this Oireachtas tomorrow and the day after. That will be the opportunity to ask them questions and to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Thanks very much, Deputy. At the outset, I want to express my best wishes to Deputy McDonald, who is currently recovering from surgery. I hope that she makes a very swift recovery and will be back in action as soon as possible and as soon as she is well again. The revelations from RTÉ last week are deeply unsettling and they have shaken public trust in what is an important...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Expenditure (27 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) is the only non-commercial public body under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach. NESDO is the corporate body for the National Economy and Social Council (NESC) which advises me on strategic policy issues relating to sustainable economic, social, and environmental development in Ireland. In 2022, NESDO had NIL expenditure on...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Public Sector Staff (27 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The below table details the number of staff employed in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, by grade, from 2019 to date. Grade 2023 June 21st 2022 Y/end 2021 Y/end 2020 Y/end 2019 Y/end Secretary General 1 1 1 1 1 Deputy Secretary 1 1 1 ...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Go raibh maith agat, Cathaoirleach, as an gcuireadh a bheith anseo. Tá súil agam go mbeadh an cruinniú seo úsáideach duinn. Is deis atá ann cad atá ar siúl ag bhur choistí a chloisteáil agus chun ceisteanna atá agat a ardú liom. Is deis atá ann dom freisin chun tú a chur ar eolas faoi cad atá ar siúl ag an...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: EU enlargement is something of which we are very supportive as a Government. I am very proud of the fact that the most recent big enlargement into central Europe happened under the Irish Presidency. It was a Fianna Fáil Government at the time led by Bertie Ahern. The next significant enlargement should be into the western Balkans. We support the candidatures of Ukraine, Moldova and...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I pay tribute to and recognise the justice committee for the huge amount of legislation it has to deal with. I get a sense of it from the number of Government memos that come from different Departments. The number that come from that Department is enormous. It is a very legislation-heavy Department and that then, of course, lands at the committee. I do not know what the rules are...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Crowe asked about cross-Border projects, particularly in the context of health. The short answer to his question is "Yes". We are very interested in exploring new cross-Border projects that we could fund through the shared island fund. Some €1 billion has been earmarked for the shared island fund across the decade. So far, €250 million of that has been allocated and...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I will take on board what Deputy Ó Snodaigh said on the Official Languages Act and the lack of urgency around some of its implementation. I am a big fan of the Gaelscoil and Gaelcholáiste movement and am glad we now have a Gaelcholáiste in my constituency and two Gaelscoileanna, one of which we are expanding. We should set the objective of saying that anybody who wants a...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: And no Gaelcholáiste. I am aware of that and we need to change that. Finding a site might be tricky.

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I totally agree with the principle and we should do it. I do not know where we are with the planning guidelines for Gaeltacht areas. I will come back to the Deputy by correspondence on that. Deputy Martin Browne mentioned thatched cottages. I am a big fan of thatched cottages. We used to have a thatched shop in Clonsilla in my constituency, which unfortunately is gone. I spent one of...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Moynihan is spot on in terms of the real challenge we have when it comes to capacity in the system, particularly in relation to children and young people with disabilities not getting their assessments or the services and therapies that they need. A big part of what we are doing now is making sure we have more staff available. We have increased the number of training places, in...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It is important to put on the record that poverty, including child poverty, and inequality in Ireland have fallen, but we had a significant setback last year because of the cost-of-living crisis and inflation. I am determined that we get back on track now in reducing consistent poverty and the number of people at risk of poverty, particularly children, and in order that inequality continues...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Yes. We have a list here.

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Just to pick up on one thing that came up, the resourcing of committees and so on is primarily a matter for the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, but if they have a proposal - a reasonable and affordable one - they can let me know about it and I will be able to engage with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, on it.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies again for their questions. I join Deputy Dillon in welcoming everyone who has come all the way from Achill. Tá fáilte romhaibh go léir chuig an Dáil. I wish to answer Deputy Dillon's questions on security of supply and price stability. We all agree and acknowledge that the best thing we can do to bring about price stability when it comes to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (21 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputies for their questions. Unfortunately, almost all the matters raised have not been considered by the Cabinet committee on economy and investment. That is fair enough. Notwithstanding that, I will do my best to answer the questions but I may have to come back to Deputies in writing with some replies because they do not relate directly to the work of the committee. Deputy...